Man on the Moon (1999) Review

 

Man on the Moon (1999)

Man on the Moon follows the unorthodox career and rise of comedian and musician Andy Kaufman.

The whole time I was watching this biopic, there’s such a raw feeling of realness. Like you aren’t watching Jim Carrey anymore, you’re watching Andy Kaufman brought back to life, journeying through his life alongside him. It’s unbelievably eerie and their ability to not only capture that energy but to also completely nail Kaufman’s style of comedy is remarkable. There is never a traditional funny moment in this film, much of the time setting up jokes and never paying them off, which is hilarious in its own right. Not much is changed here in his story, sticking pretty true to real events and utilizing the unlikely relationships in Andy’s life to tell its own story about such a misunderstood comic.

If you are going into this wanting to understand Kaufman, you will disappointed. And that’s because he wasn’t understood; there was no real Andy Kaufman. He was an awkward, strange, socially inept, but brilliant individual and this movie perfectly captures that from his SNL skits and Taxi appearances, his stint at pro-wrestling (women, at wrestling women), and even his enraging double act as Tony Clifton. His brand of humor, if he had such a thing, was never meant to be understood, which is where much of the humor lies. His life was the punchline.

The cast here is also so great, starring Courtney Love, Paul Giamatti, Jerry Lawler, Danny Devito, and Jim Carrey. Like I said before, the magic of this movie is how real Carrey portrays Kaufman, nailing his subtle mannerisms, voices, and looks. He isn’t just acting as Kaufman, he is Kaufman. It genuinely feels like I’m watching a documentary at times because such a performance just immerses you into the story so well and shows just how far Carrey took it as an actor.

Man on the Moon, directed by Miloš Forman, is a beautiful, magical, and loving look at the life of the mysterious Andy Kaufman. It is in every respect on homage to Andy, not an explanation, adding another layer to the legacy and allure behind one of comedies most brilliant minds.

9.2/10